Ironborn
by Vyee
Summary: "We Are The Way" Was her house's words, once. Young Aelyna has been held hostage by the Starks for majority of her life, along with a certain Kraken who desperately tries to keep his fellow Ironborn lady close.. can he finally win her over or will she fight against him? only time will tell.. and Winter is Coming. Cannon/OC
1. Chapter 1

Ironborn

Chapter.1

All characters belong to George R. with the exception of my own.

The chilly summer morning started like any other, she tended to the young Stark girl's needs on their Lady mother's request. In the large stone room sat few girls, each pretty face had some sort of noble ties to the Starks, for only two had actual high born blood flowing through their veins.

"Aelyna" the youngest slowly whined her name, interrupting the sound of needle softly poking through fabric and the crackling of fire.

"Yes my lady?" Aelyna reluctantly responded. She knew exactly what the young pup was whining about, a blind man could see that Arya was never satisfied with the mundane repetitive tasks of a high born lady.

"Can I go for a walk" She asked innocently enough, her messy stitches sprawled out on her tiny lap.

"Not until you finish this morn's task." The septa spoke up, extinguishing the young wolf pup's secret plans.

"But I want to go now!" She whined louder now, and flung her stitches from her lap as she stood up from her stool and crossed her tiny arms.

Aelyna stopped her own stitching and looked over to the septa, who was shaking her head in obvious disapproval.

"Your Lady mother would be displeased if you do not finish your task this morning" The old woman nagged before turning to the eldest Stark girl.

"Sansa can you please help your sister." The woman hadn't stopped her own work for a moment.

"She is to _stupid_ for such a task" The eldest sister smirked, not taking an eye off of her own delicate work.

That was when the youngest she wolf went after the eldest she wolf. Arya suddenly tackled her unsuspecting sister, both went down to the stone ground in a solid thud.

"Arya get off of me!" Sansa shouted in a sob. "Aelyna do something!"

She quickly rushed to the two girls, Arya straddled her tall sister and pulled her auburn hair as Sansa sobbed and tried to throw her tiny sister off with no luck.

"That's enough of that." Aelyna sighed and plucked the tiny squirming pup from her sobbing sister. The mess drew the other woman in the room, and they all gathered around to watch the commotion.

"Let me go let me go!" Arya squirmed and kicked the air in an attempt to break free from her grasp. "I don't want to go to my room!" "Let me go let me go!"

"Septa." The elder woman was had knelt beside Sansa, a look of plain horror plastered on her wrinkled face. "Take care of Sansa for now, I am bringing Arya to her room." She nodded and tried to settle the sobbing Sansa down, but only ended up being pushed away despite her help.

Aelyna carried the girl out of the room, despite Arya's obvious refusal. The sounds of sobbing were now drowned out by the sound of the courtyard, all a mixture of swords being made, arrows hitting their targets and common folk chatting.

"You should know better Arya." Aelyna scolded the young girl. She set her down on the stone floor, were Arya continued to pout.

"You don't understand!" She exclaimed loudly in a high pitched annoyed tone. "You don't have a sister!" She sprawled down on the cold floor and stared up to the ceiling. "She torments me everyday!" She whined some more. "I would much rather be in in the yard, with Bran, Rob and Jon!" The girl stared across the floor and watched the three boys practicing their skills.

Aelyna pondered a moment, before coming up with something to get the restless girl in a better mood.

"You are in correct my little wolf." Helyna playfully teased. "I _did_ have a sister" She paused "Who was a lot like Sansa."

That was the trick, curiosity often got the better of children Arya's age. The little girl sat up quickly, her mood seemed to be lifted a little.

"What was her name?" She asked suspiciously.

"Ah." Aelyna paused, putting her arms behind her back and looked away from Arya, and to the courtyard. "That is a tale for little girl's who listen."

"I will listen." Arya quickly stood up, her dark whisped every which way out of the braid she had done for her earlier.

"Well than." Aelyna motioned for the young girl to take her hand, which Arya quickly took. "You want to know about my sister?" Arya looked up to the older girl and nodded. The two girls began to walk down the torch lit hall and towards the bed chambers.

"My sister's name was Arielle." Aelyna paused for a moment, she hadn't spoken of her sister in many years. "She was two name day's older than me.. and she never let me forget that." She looked down at the wolf girl and winked, Arya smiled up at her, she knew what it was like. "Our mother proudly gape at us, she said we looked like twins...she had dark hair, long eyelashes and plenty of freckles-"

"More than you?" Arya cut her off, and asked in surprise.

"Yes, more than me." Helyna smiled down at the bold girl, who smiled a goofy grin right back. "Though her eyes were a lot lighter blue than mine.. my father would introduce us as his 'sky and sea' because of our eyes. She continued on with her story. "Arielle used to tease me, saying that she was beautiful and calm like the sky,filled with beautiful birds - while I was the stormy dark sea, filled with slimy fish and creeping krakens." She wiggled her fingers to imitate tentacles, making Arya giggle.

"Was she short like you?" Aelyna chuckle to herself. She was surprised by the amount of interest she had in her sister.

"No, she was tall like my mother when she passed."

"She passed?"

"Yes." she spoke quickly, and was glad that they were just a moments away from Arya's room. She had forgotten the gloomy end to her late sister's life.

"How did she pass?" The little girl asked innocently. Aelyna paused.

"I'm afraid that is a story I will have to tell you when you are older love." She squeezed Arya's hand gently.

"But I want to know now." She frowned and rubbed her large grey eyes, giving Aelyna a chance to change the subject.

"Did you sleep well last night?"

"No..I had a bad dream"

"That's no good." Arya nodded silently. Aelyna knew not to ask children about their nightmares, it's good for them to not think of them.

They reached the room and opened the chamber door, the young girl hurried in, Aelyna behind her.

"Do you wish to sleep little wolf?" Arya yawned loudly and slowly nodded.

She undressed Arya from her day dress and into a simple nightgown, and tucked her into her furs.

"Can you hum a song for me Lyna"

"Of course little one." Aelyna gently sat down in an old wooden rocking chair beside the bed. Arya rolled over in her bed to face her. Aelyna began to hum a simple soft melody, and within minutes the young Stark quickly drifted away into her dreams, cuddled warmly in her furs.

Even when she knew the girl was asleep, Aelyna continued to softly hum the tune. She closed her eyes and slowly rocked back in forth, still humming the tune. Talking about her sister had brought out emotions that were stored away deep in her mind, she found herself thinking of old memories of her long lost family. She felt her eyes water, few tears escaped her and fell down unto her dress. She sobbed softly and silently for just a moment, before snapping herself out of it. It was better this way, to not think of them.

Though she tried to push her emotions back, they kept flooding her mind, breaking through a barrier that finally gave. She held her breath for a moment, exhaled slowly and dried her eyes with the end of her grey dress, and very gently stood up from the old chair. She made extra care so that she would not wake sleeping girl as she tip toed towards the solid door. It slowly opened, she made sure that not even the slightest creak came from the thing, and took a look back to make sure she had not woken Arya before shutting the door tight. The door held her up as she leaned her back against it, gaining her composure and drying her eyes once more before walking off.

She had a close bond with the Stark children- she was raised among them in Winterfell, only a few years younger than their eldest son. When the other children were born, she swore to protect them with her own life – it was her duty to their house, a purpose granted to her by her Lord and Lady- and she protected them like they were her own blood. Being raised among them did not mean receiving the same things they did, she never received the love that came from all those around them.. for she was no wolf, but a strange creature raised among them.

Time seemed to be going by slowly as she strode down the hall, trying to fight her own mind...a useless battle it turned to be, tears still streamed down her freckled face. She blinked away the tears the best she could and sniffled.

"Aelyna?" She cursed under her breath and blinked a few times trying to dry her eyes quickly without being obvious. She turned to face the voice, though she already knew who was calling her.

"What do you need Greyjoy?" She rolled her eyes and stared at the ground, not looking once at him.

He paused for a moment, examining her silently.

"Have you been crying?" He boldly teased, you could hear the surprise in his voice. "Gods be good..Aelyna Rorek is crying." he cackled and quickly came towards her, arms wide open and engulfed her in a mocking hug.

"Let go of me Theon" She hit at his chest and stomach the best she could and struggled against him, though it did no good. He bent his head down so that it hovered just beside her ear and whispered.

"Not until you tell me why Aelyna _stone heart_ has let her emotions get the better of her." She continued to struggle against him, but eventually gave into his embrace with a huff.

"And why does it concern you?" she growled against his chest. He kept her in his bear hug and she could do nothing about it. She cursed her tiny stature and at him for using his against her.

"Because _us_ ironborn do not cry." She scoffed rolling her eyes.

Her head rested gently on the crook of his neck. Though the embrace between the two was not the least bit awkward, It was not the first time he had done this to her (in fact, it was the only way he could ever get her to listen to him without her running away) she still found herself stupidly flustered. Theon had been doing this to her since they were young children.

"Well I do." She blurted out, with some fierceness "And I'll do as I please" She said matter of factly.

Theon chuckled to himself, smirked that cocky smirk of his and looked away from the tiny girl in his embrace.

"You know it's ridiculous how the only way I can seem to get a word out of you is when I have you trapped." He looked down at her, and her back up to him.

"We have nothing to speak of." She cut him off. "Lady Stark has warned me of the consequences of speaking to you, _Theon_." She put emphases on his name, he rolled his eyes, keeping her still tight in his embrace. Their conversation was quickly turning more and more volatile.

"She is paranoid." He scoffed "We are not our father's..planning a rebellion." He rested his head on hers.

"You _must_ bring that up." She clenched her fists and tried to escape his arms again, pushing against him. He loosened the embrace so that she could pull away from him slightly, but not enough for her to get away.

"The _wolves_ have trained you to deny the truth." He looked almost disgusted with her. "We are taken from our true land and you deny it." He finally released her from his embrace. She rubbed her arms and straightened her dress out.

"The _wolves_." Her words heavy with poison, he had insulted her now. "Have taken great care of us for majority of our lives Theon."

"Is that what you call it?" His eyes met hers. "They would have our fucking throats slit this very moment if it benefit them." His voice had rose to a shout as he yelled.

"I have taken a _vow_." she pointed a slender finger in his face, his eyes wild with the same fury as her own. "I am Aelyna Rorek of Saltnight island- the last lady of Rorek- and I only serve the Starks" His eyes were a blaze as he suddenly grabbed her arm and pulled her against him roughly, his grip tightened around her forearm, no doubt leaving a bruise. His forehead rested against her own, but not in a comforting way.

She had not seen Theon this angry with her for years now, and still she did not regret any of her actions. She knew what she was doing, he had no power over her in the North.

"And I am Theon Greyjoy of the Pyke," He harshly spat. "And when I come back to _my_ throne your whole damn island will serve _me_ and _me_ only, Aelyna Rorek of Saltnight." She rivalled his look with her own. The two stood their ground before being interrupted.

"Rorek?" the voice had a questioning tone to it. She broke her fiery glare and found Lady Stark had walked straight into the two Ironborn's fight. She cursed to herself and curtsied politely, and found her face going red from embarrassment.

"What is going on here?" The Tully woman did not like the slightest pleased with the two of them, her mouth formed a straight tight line and her eyes beamed of disapproval.

"Pardon my lady." She had trouble looking the woman in the eyes. "Me and _Greyjoy_ had gotten into a heated debate on who would win the most copper tonight in our game of stones." She smiled a false smile to go along with her false story - and hoped the woman would simply let the confrontation go.

The expression on her face did not change as she examined the situation again. She looked the girl straight in the eyes.

"Go tend to Sansa, Septa Mordane has been expecting you for some time now."

"Of course my lady." She bowed her head once more, still unable to meet the lady's eyes and quickly walked off. Against her embarrassment, she looked back only once to see Theon being scolded quite harshly by the Lady Stark. She could not help but to smirk cheekily to herself.

Hey guys, thanks for reading this little timbit of a story. It has been brewing in my mind for quite some time now, and I've been dying to finally write it out despite my lack of writing experience (I hope I did well) I left this one a wee short because it is mainly a tester- a story I will most likely continue, but also want to see how much intrest the story itself will gain. Thanks again for reading ! I hope you follow the story to see how it will be continued ! much love - Vye


	2. Chapter 2

Ironborn

Chapter 2

All characters belong to George R.R Martin , with the exception of my own.

"I heard about the little spat you had with our favourite kraken." a figure emerged from the door frame to break the still silence in the large room.

Aelyna sat alone in the large feast hall, she preferred to eat here alone over eating in the Stark's own personal hall, this hall fortunately lacked the blue blooded vibe the true hall held. The stone room itself seemed almost intimidating- high roofed, cold and hollow, but through all her years in Winterfell she found it to be a place of comfort and peace of mind. Two things that seemed to elude her.

Earlier that morn (after dealing with Sansa's fits) she had been scolded harshly by Caitlyn Stark. The stern woman always seemed to enjoy bringing up the dangers of 'two iron children' being _too_ close.

Like the rest of the North, she brought up the Greyjoy rebellion whenever she seemed to look at something the wrong way.

"I'm sure our favourite kraken has taken to the brothels to quell his ever _broken_ heart." her voice oozed with sarcasm. She turned her head to look up at the figure who sat down beside her. She took a quick sip of her wine.

"He cares for you greatly, you know" Robb Stark had always been the sensible one.. so much like his father in that sense. The handsome wolf was one of her oldest friends, she cared deeply for him.. they shared a love, one that was found between siblings would be the best description of their frowned upon relationship. It had been many years since Robb unknowingly filled the vacant role her true elder brother left.

"He sure has a queer way of showing such affection our kraken" She poked at the soggy oats in front of her. "Besides, your mother has already informed me of the dangers of Greyjoys and Roreks" she could feel the tense change in Rob's mood after mentioning his lovely lady mother. He was always so protective of his mother, a bitch and her pup.

"Mother has all the right to be concerned, Aelyna." What a day this was turning out to be, she was about to be scolded a second time today by a second Stark!

"Balon Greyjoy and your father are dangerous men." His voice was one of a true lord's, he spoke boldly in truth, but still made sure his words were not crossing any invisible boundaries. Yet his lordly ego seethed through none the less.

"Your father was Balon's right hand man, you were-"

"A _lovely_ tale indeed." She seethed of sarcasm "But one I have heard _far_ to often." Aelyna quickly rose from her seat, roughly grabbed up the ends of her dress and began to stomp off. "_Damn the Starks and their condescending bullshit._" She screamed to herself, and for a second time that day she was seeing red, a colour she seemed to be seeing now more than ever.

"I did not mean to offend you Lyna." Rob called softly to the tiny fleeing figure, his voice was genuinely apologetic.

She halted sharply for a moment, but was to stubborn to turn back.

"I know who I _am_, Rob Stark" she snapped back. Gods know they will never let her forget.

"Please come back." He asked, he did not beg.. no.. he did not know how to beg.

She closed her eyes, inhaled and exhaled deeply before turning back. He was on the edge of his seat, he was prepared to go after her.

She swiftly marched back to the bench and took her seat beside him with a solid thud. The two sat in an awkward silence for a few moments before Rob spoke up.

"I'm sorry Aelyna" He turned towards her, taking her tiny hands in his own. She looked him dead in the eyes. The two of them shared a brief moment, both of them lost in each other's eyes.

"No." Aelyna broke the moment, in a slight fluster. She looked down into her lap and than back up to him. "I am sorry.." she paused. "..For my behaviour these past few weeks." She softly bit her bottom lip, avoiding the lordlings eyes. "I.. I've been missing home" She finally admitted out loud, she felt as if someone had lifted a weight off her chest. She looked back up, Rob nodded slightly, but looked deep in thought.

It had been many moons since the Greyjoy rebellion- since the day Theon and her had been ripped from their mother's arms and brought to cold North, to Winterfell. The bitter memories still fresh in her mind, even after all these years; she swears she could _still_ smell the distinct rust of blood and salt. The cries of her mother still haunted her to this day, never had she heard someone plea so desperately like her mother did that day. That was the last time she saw her mother.

She didn't expect Rob to understand her homesickness, he was a greenboy who was scared to leave home let alone his mother, he had never felt true longing, no true heartache. She loved the wolf, but she knew no other would understand her pain, no one other than Theon- but their frayed relationship had been severed long ago now, and she doubted he would take anything she said seriously.

The wedge that separated her and Theon began around her fourteenth name day. Before that day the two ironborn children had been virtually inseparable, they shared a pain no one else understood.. they could only rely on each other.. once they only had eachother.. once.

The day she first bled also happened to be her fourteenth name day. She had finally felt like a true lady, one who would someday proudly represent the Iron House Rorek. She often imagined herself back home in her father's castle; castle Blue vein, wearing the most beautiful dress ever sewn in the seven kingdoms. Beside her stood her Lord Husband, Theon Greyjoy, dressed proudly in the black and gold of his own house. The two Iron houses had joined together to form the strongest ties the Ironborn had ever known. Gods.. she should have never been so naive.

But that day was quickly stripped from any happiness, and instead turned into a day of lessons and harsh warnings. Lady Stark made sure to install great fear into the impressionable girl, she made sure she knew that _one_ _bastard_ among the Starks was already enough of a burden.

Caitlyn gave the girl a title, a title of ward, but only id she made a vow to pledge her life to the Starks and _only_ the Starks. Lack of communication and hurt had successfully formed the fatal wedge between the two seemingly inseparable iron children.

"I think this is something you should discuss with Theon." Rob admitted, he knew that was not something she wanted to hear.

"I'm not sure a reunion between kraken and leviathan would make your house happy." She dryly teased, scrunching up her nose. Rob let out a little laugh, which slowly turned to small little fits.

"What's so funny?" She took her hands from his and crossed her arms.

"It's just." He smiled. "When you scrunch up your nose all your freckles come together to form one big patch of brown." Her mood lightened up as she laughed with the young wolf. She scrunched her nose again, this time on purpose. The two of them enjoyed the little moment.

"Ah, the freckled curse of Drevosus Rorek." She proudly proclaimed. "Rorek children are told that Drevosus- the founder of Saltnight and founder of the Rorek's- was a thieve who was fleeing the Iron islands on a small fishing boat one night when a great leviathan emerged on the horizon, the great slap of the beast's massive tail formed the Saltnight island, and the salt from the sea water formed the stars in the sky above. Drevosus returned to the Great Wyk; branded with freckles from the salt, took his wife and sailed to the Saltnight, claiming it as his house's birthright. She pointed a slim finger to her cheeck. "And every true born Rorek is branded with Drevo's freckles." She smiled a genuine smile. It had been a long time since she had even thought about the old story.

"That is quite the tale." Rob's warm smile and interest in her tale cheered her up a great lot. She felt her heart flutter slightly, a soft pink blush slowly spread to her pale cheeks.

"All bullshit if you ask me." The familiar voice behind her instantly took her from her good mood.

She twisted around in a single movement, Theon boldly sat down beside her.

"And your 'Nagga' is any better?" Her pink blush turned to a red fire.

"At least we Grejoy's have bones for truth" He didn't look once at the girl beside him, but rolled a red apple around the table in front of him. "All you Rorek's have to be proud of is a drunken fisherman."

There was an uncomfortable stillness in the room. No one spoke, not a sound in a hall. The two boys were on the edge of their seats, waiting for the young Leviathan girl to boil over like she often did.

"Apologize." She mumbled at first, she stared daggers ahead of her. She felt her whole body trembling with all sorts of emotion. He turned to face her, his face twisted in a snarl.

"And wh-" A loud stinging crack echoed through the dining hall. She had put her full strength into the thundering slap. His head jerked roughly sideways when she had hit him. Never had she ever hit anyone.

"You little whore!" Theon shouted, his temper rose within seconds. He violently shot up from the long table, grabbed her by the collar of her dress and yanked her from where she sat.

She was was still standing, but her face close to his. His hot breath merged with her own.

"Theon put her down now." Rob urgently warned. Theon however, not hear the wolf, he never did hear anything in his rage.

"I hate you." She whispered softly at first. He looked her straight in the eyes, and she right back at him. He did not see the fire in her eyes like he wanted to, instead he saw that the burning orbs had been extinguished by watery tears. He loosened his grip, his expression quickly changed from a snarl into a look of astonishment. Guilt ripped through him.

"I _hate_ you Theon Greyjoy." She spat his name. The first tear escaped her eyes and fell gently on his hand. She did not sob, her face showed no sign of sadness, despite the tears that now trickled shamelessly down her freckled cheeks. The blue of her eyes darkened and bore deeply into his own, he found himself trapped in their watery illusion. Her ocean eyes reflected the image of the little girl who would cling to him when she was scared, the girl whom he used to shield from the harsh words of the north, the girl who cried against him every night. He saw the girl before she changed, before Caitlyn Stark turned her against him.

He remembered than how she would ignore him, yell at him and tell him to go away, how he was dangerous and that she was to stay away from him. He remembered it all. The dark thoughts immediately smothered the good ones, His mind clouded and he saw nothing but the eyes of a woman who rejected him, who _hated_ him.

In the corner of his eyes he saw Rob unsheathed his blade and come forward. He stared deep into Aelyna's eyes, tightened his grip on her collar and violently threw her tiny body to the ground. A sickening crack followed.

Her eyes slowly opened, a thin layer of crust lightly sealed the corners of her eyes, she quickly blinked it away. A small yawn escape her. Her eyes gently closed once again as she cuddled up to the soft furs she rested on.

"Lady Rorek?" A sheepish voice pipped up from across the room, startling Aelyna. Her eyes widened and she quickly shot up from her bed. She immediately regretted her actions, a sharp pain shot through her from the back of her head and down to her neck. In a groggy daze, she laid back down and closed her eyes, pulling the furs up over her near bare chest.

The shrill sound of a chair scrapping the floor made her cringe, she felt dizzy and sick.

"Lady Rorek?" The voice now came from the end of her bed, or so she thought. Her head now spun and the voice sounded like it was bouncing off every wall.

"I'm sorry to bother you, Lady Rorek." She recognized the voice and smiled, despite the pain in her head. She slowly propped herself up on so that her back rested against the wooden bed frame.

"You're not bothering me, Jon." she smiled sweetly, her eyes meeting his.

"I'm glad to see you awake, my Lady." he bowed his black mop of a head. The gods were cruel, they made him a spitting image of his _honourable_ father.

"My lady?" She huffed. "You can't fool me.. I am no lady." he smiled gently and looked to the floor. He was such a shy boy

"How did I end up here?" she gently removed the furs that clung to her torso, the brisk air gave her goosebumps through her thin, see through nightgown. She saw the blush on the bastard's face before he turned his head to face the window. She did not mind, she enjoyed making the boy's face a bright shade of crimson whenever she could.

"You don't remember?" She shook her head slightly, not wanting to make her head any worst than it already was.

"I remember fighting with Greyjoy." she shuddered. "I remember him picking me up and.." She stopped herself, she knew than how it had ended.

Jon examined the freckled girl's face, she wore a unique expression, a mixture of anger and grief.

"He threw you to the floor." He paused, still watching her. She rubbed the back of her head. Her dark red lips curled into a grim smile.

"Bloody idiot gave me a damn goose egg." He couldn't help but chuckle, she layed slowly back into her bed.

"If you need me to leave-"

"Only if you want to, Jon." She looked over her shoulder, her large blue eyes watched him.

He nodded. It was true, he did want to stay. He rarely spoke to the foreign girl now, he missed her company. It was rare to find someone who was hated almost as much as he was.

"Who sent you to tend to me?" Her voice was muffled by the furs.

"Lady Stark."

Aelyna chuckled slightly.

"What's so funny?"

"A bastard for a bastard."

"But you are no bastard." He looked up from his hands and met his eyes with hers.

"Aye." She stared past him and out the window. "But I might as well be."

There was a silence that followed her words, the two outsiders shared a peaceful calm between them. They both enjoyed each other's company, they did not need to say a word, they just simply enjoyed each other's presence.

"You should get some rest Lyna"

"Piss on that." She scoffed, sat up, but quickly shot back down when her head began to painfully pulse once more.

"I admire your spirit." He chuckled and looked the girl in the eyes, he found her in deep thought.

Spirit. She thought to herself. _Spirit and Fire. Spirit and fire of Saltnight._ She grimaced _The last lady of Rorek,_... t_he fire of Saltnight, and the spirit of Rorek_- she was not about to let the Stark's drown her Iron ways.

Hey everyone, I would like to start out by thanking everyone for all the views this story got (I never expected the story to get this attention!) and a million thanks to those who followed and favorited, you guys are the best!

Now with the story- Never expect a long chapter, I'm not one to write very long chapters but on the plus side I like to update often and I plan on updating every chance I get.

Thankyou for viewing!

- Vyee


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